hey guys, my name is david and i'm 23 years old from Tel aviv israel, i just recently entered the vegan world after seeing the "Gary yourovsky " lecture that really opened my eyes, but i still have a lot of dougts about it being the most healthy thing to do and the best thing to do for athletes, i mean there aren't too many vegan athletes and still it's not as common as non vegan athletes and also i asked some bodybuilders about it they said that a lot in the lecture is false and we actually digest meat better then beans and such ... anyway it's really confusing but i really want to become vegan and do my part in protecting the animals... anyway i really want to get started and i hope you guys could help me with the diet ... i really dont know what to eat, basically i train in the gym and run a lot and my purpose is to gain muscle ... i'm about 6 feet tall and i weight 70 kg (155 pounds i think haha)one other problem haha is that i'm not the greatest cook in the world ... so i hope there is a healthy and easy way to become vegan haha.anyway i am looking foward to hear from you guys and i'm sorry in advance for any spelling mistakes haha (english isn't my first language)

Hi David, welcome to our community here. I've always wanted to visit tel aviv. What are the best things to see and do if visiting for the first time? Sounds like you have some good goals to work out and are motivated to conquer them!

Welcome. Hope you are able to find/get information that you need here and that your transition goes well.

If you don't mind cooking and just don't feel that you are all that good at it, be encouraged that the more you do, the better you will get, and the braver you will be to start experimenting with recipes. There may actually be a gourmet chef in you that you didn't know about. Soups and stirfrys are the easiest things to start cooking and there is a ton of ways you can vary those.

Starting out as a vegan you want to make sure you have a good supply of vegan food choices in your house.. so you have options and things to make and don't feel like you are going hungry.

You'll want fruits and veggies obviously, given their health benefits, and then you will want some good protein sources too - beans, legumes, nuts, soy, grains.

There are tons of vegan meats out there that you can buy.. most people start off with eating those .. I like the mexican burger crumbles for tacos etc. and I'll have veggie burgers now and then. You may have to try a few to see what you like... they are all made with different ingredients.. ie. some are soy based, some beans, some wheat, some mushrooms... so there is a variety.

You can buy hummus if you don't want to make your own - it is a good protein source to include in sandwiches, wraps , as a veggie dip or as a 'sauce' for a veggie pizza. I just throw hummus on a pita wrap and put a layer of thinly sliced zucchini and tomatoes in the oven for 15 minutes.. easy, healthy and tastes really good (imo).

I always keep a good variety of canned beans in my cupboards... to make sure I have them when I want to make anything. Whole grains are also a good source of protein... processing grains takes away a bit of the protein content.

Nuts are good to keep around for a snack or to throw in salads or stir frys.

Don't get too caught up in the protein myth which is most rampant in the bodybuilding world. Most people in developed countries get 2-3x more than they need. This dietician site here has the best answers to questions about protein that I have seen. You can always throw in a protein shake or bar if you are concerned. This fitness model Noel, apparently does not take any protein supplements, and he doesn't look like he is fading away.

Try to eat clean.. ie. if the junk food is not in your house, you'll be less likely to eat it. Have fun trying new foods and acquiring new tastes.. focus on the new yummy things you discover and don't worry about what you've 'given up'.

Lastly, as a vegan don't forget to take a b12 supplement..

Good luck helping the animals. I think it is a worthwhile goal.

If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If it isn't, you'll find an excuse.

thank you both for your answeres and advice , Dylan you should defenitely come to israel and tel aviv , Tel aviv is a great city (to my opinion one of the greatest party cities in the world) and we have a lot of parties and of course great weather so the beaches are always packed in the summer haha, but besides Tel aviv there's a lot more to see in Israel and for such a small country there is really enough History here for a continent haha. and "stcalico" (sorry didn't catch your name haha) thanks for the long and informitive reply it really helped !!